Rose plant--Meikrotal variety

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of rose plant is provided which forms attractive semi-double blossoms which are cherry red on the upper surface and carmine pink on the under surface. The plant forms in abundance dark glossy foliage and exhibits an arching growth habit which renders it highly suited for use as a ground cover. Good hardiness and resistance to fungal diseases are manifest. The new variety can be readily propagated from cuttings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of ground cover rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the newvariety was the variety Meitiraca. The male patent (i.e., the pollenparent) of the new variety was the variety Meimont. The parents of thenew vareity are non-patented in the United States. The parentage of thenew variety can be summarized as follows:

    Meitiraca×Meimont.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and 22plantlets were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of ground cover rose plant of thepresent invention possesses the following combination ofcharacteristics:

(a) forms attractive semi-double blossoms which are cherry red on theupper surface and carmine pink on the under surface,

(b) forms in abundance dark glossy foliage,

(c) exhibits an arching growth habit which forms a plant having agreater width than height,

(d) exhibits good hardiness, and

(e) exhibits good resistance to fungal diseases.

The new variety meets the needs of the horticultural industry for manyusages. It is particularly well-suited when grown en masse for use as anattractive, dense, and low-growing ornamental ground cover in parks,gardens, and residential and commercial landscapes. The dark glossyleaves in combination with the bright flowers provide a strikinglynoteworthy appearance.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation by anumber of routes, including budding, grafting, use of cuttings, etc. Thenew variety propagates well from cuttings and readily forms its ownroots. The characteristics of the new variety have been found to bestrictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generationto another.

The new variety has been named the Meikrotal variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety described herein were grown at LeLuc, France.

FIG. 1 illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2 illustrates two clusters of flowering buds before the opening ofthe sepals;

FIG. 3 illustrates specimens of four flowering buds at the opening ofthe sepals;

FIG. 4 illustrates specimens of two flowering buds at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5 illustrates specimens of two flowers in the course of opening;

FIG. 6 illustrates a specimen of a partially open flower--planview--obverse;

FIG. 7 illustrates a specimen of a partially open flower--planview--reverse;

FIG. 8 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower--planview--obverse;

FIG. 9 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower--planview--reverse;

FIG. 10 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12 illustrates specimens of two flowering stems;

FIG. 13 illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 14 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets--uppersurface;

FIG. 15 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets--uppersurface; and

FIG. 16 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets--undersurface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthree-year old specimens of the new variety during June while growingoutdoors on their own roots in field soil at LeLuc, France.

Class: Ground cover.

Plant:

Height.--Approximately 1.5 to 1.7 meter.

Habit.--Arching growth habit which produces a plant having a greaterwidth than height.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: reddish brown. Adult wood: Yellow-Green Group 146B.

Leaves:

Petioles.--Upper surface: reddish brown on young foliage and light greenon adult foliage. Under surface: light green.

Leaflets.--Number: 3, 5, and 7 (most often). Shape: elliptic. Serration:simple and regular. General appearance: dark and glossy. Color (youngfoliage): Upper surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Under surface:Yellow-Green Group 146C. Color (adult foliage): Upper surface:Yellow-Green Group 146A. Under surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Approximately 2 to 18 per stem.

Peduncle.--Its length is approximately 3 cm. on average.

Buds.--Shape: oval. Length: approximately 1.5 cm. on average. Color uponopening: Upper surface: Red Group 45C. Under surface: Red Group 45B andlighter toward the petal base.

Flower.--Diameter: approximately 3.7 cm. on average. Color (when openingbegins): Upper surface: Red Group 45C bordered with a light suffusion ofRed Group 45B and with a small white eye at the base of the petal. Undersurface: Red Group 52A. Color (when partially open): Upper surface: RedGroup 45C bordered with a light suffusion of Red Group 45B and with asmall white eye at the base of the petal. Under surface: Red Group 52Apassing to Red Group 52B and slightly whitish at the base. Color (at endof opening): Upper surface: Red Group 45C passing to Red Group 45D atthe center of the petal and with a white base. Under suface: Red Group52A passing to Red Group 52B and slightly whitish at the base.Fragrance: none. Lasting quality: long. Petal number: approximately 15to 20. Stamen number: approximately 78 on average. Pistils:approximately 15 on average.

Development:

Hardiness.--Very good.

Disease resistance.--Extremely resistant to the major fungal diseaseswhich commonly attack roses.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of ground cover rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) formsattractive semi-double blossoms which are cherry red on the uppersurface and carmine red on the under surface, (b) forms in abundancedark glossy foliage, (c) exhibits an arching growth habit which forms aplant having a greater width than height, (d) exhibits good hardiness,and (e) exhibits good resistance to fungal diseases;substantially asherein shown and described.